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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2016

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE

VARGAS LLOSA IN MANILA: ON DICTATORS AND WRITING

“WHY do you think that all dictatorships have tried to control literature? They have established systems of censorship…” This interesting remark was made by Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa at a press conference at the Instituto Cervantes last Nov. 3. He has written over 30 works of fiction and nonfiction, and is also a columnist of the Madrid newspaper El Pais, which is circulated throughout Latin America. At the presscon at the Instituto Cervantes, the 80-year-old Peruvianborn novelist said about writing, “Dictators [and] dictatorships are right in being suspicious of this kind of activity, because I think this activity develops in societies a critical spirit about the world as it is…” Vargas Llosa speaks from experience, having observed the various oppressive regimes that were established at various periods in Latin America, and weathered the authoritarian regime of dictator Manuel Odría, who came to power in Peru in 1948, when Vargas Llosa was 12. A former presidential candidate in Peru, Vargas Llosa has been involved in politics most of his life. “It’s very difficult for a Latin American writer to avoid politics,” he said in October 2010, after learning that he had been awarded the Nobel Prize that year. “Literature is an expression of life, and you cannot eradicate politics from life.” The restrictive controls that Odria imposed on social life were among the factors that influenced Vargas Llosa to reject systems that arbitrarily restrict individual freedoms and leaders who abuse power and flout the law through the imposition of their will. He expressed this mindset as a recurring theme in his body of work, exploring despotism, military violence, and rebellion in some of his novels, among them The Time of the Hero (1963), Conversation in the Cathedral (1969), The War of the End of the World (1981), and the Feast of the Goat (2000). His decision to take this path in his writing garnered him the Nobel Prize for literature in 2010, which he received “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” He wrote those works fearlessly, knowing full well the risks that a writer takes for defying the status quo. As he told Time magazine in 1984: “If you are killed because you are a writer, that’s the maximum expression of respect, you know.” For those who are new to Vargas Llosa, which novel of his should be read first? At the presscon, UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies director Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo asked him which of his numerous novels he would recommend that she ask her students to read, by way of introducing him to

YOLANDA’S REVELATIONS I

t is almost three years since Super Typhoon “Yolanda” devastated the central Philippines and shook the nation to its core. On Nov. 8, 2013, what was said to be the strongest typhoon in recorded history made landfall several times across the country, from Eastern Samar to Palawan, and left on its trail untold loss and devastation. The rest of the world turned its attention to us. We never doubted we had allies in coping with the disaster. For that, we will always be grateful—and much as we aim to better help ourselves in the future, we do not share the President’s pronouncement that we do not need any aid from others. We do, we do. But more than the humbling realization that we cannot exist alone, Yolanda reminded us that there were many gaps that needed to be filled despite the existence of a law, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. A law merely lays down what it is we think we need to do. Implementing what the law prescribes is another thing—and it was here we failed miserably. There was a gap between what science told forecasters and what was communicated to the people. There was a failure to grasp that rushing to help the surivivors was not a matter of who got there first, and the most loudly. There was ignorance of the needs of those in the periphery, and of the challenges in bringing them help amid the bureacratic and logistical bottlenecks. There was the all-too-human issue of turf protection, and misplaced pride, and the apparently basic desire to bring down others in the attempt to boost one’s stock. We also saw how those who are expected to know

better simply gave in to petty politics while glossing over the more fundamental, more human demands of the situation. Finally, we discovered that we can be lazy enough to address lose ends when doing so would not serve our own purposes anymore. Case in point: The finding that despite the time that had passed, not all the rightful recipients of shelter assistance have received the help that has been promised them. It is difficult to consistently work on building resilience among individuals and communities because disasters, especially eye-opening ones like “Yolanda” was, come only occasionally. In between, there are equally important and seemingly more urgent issues: poverty, the economy, crime, drugs, violence. Despite this, however, the Duterte administration must not lose sight of this objective: to strengthen the capacity of communities to anticipate disasters, prevent loss and damage, address their immediate effects and then, in the long term, build back better and emerge stronger than they ever were to begin with. These efforts may not be front and center now, but when the next big disaster comes, all the hard work of the past few years can be wiped out, and we will have been set back again when it is already so difficult to trudge along.

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SLAYING MONSTERS LONG STORY SHORT ADELLE CHUA

SOME people get a kick out of horror movies. They are never more alive than when they watch heart-stopping, goosebump-inducing, scream-inviting flicks. They relish the roller coaster of emotions and the bragging rights at being brave enough to survive them.

Imagine the bragging rights.

I hated horror movies. Why create for yourself a stress so unnecessary? In the case of the cinema, why pay all that money just to get yourself scared? It all seemed pretty silly to me. This revulsion towards horror movies had some basis. When I was eight or

nine, my grandmother took me to watch Lovingly Yours, Helen (the movie) where the late teen actress Julie Vega played the role of a young woman possessed by an evil spirit. After watching the movie, I became feverish—even delirious. I distinctly Turn to B2

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VARGAS...

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them. After some thought, Vargas Llosa chose the novels that he said were the hardest for him to write: Conversation in the Cathedral, The War of the End of the World, and The Storyteller (1987). Conversation in the Cathedral is based on the Odria years and Vargas Llosa’s experiences as a student activist at the time. The protagonist Santiago Zavala has a conversation with Ambrosio, a chauffeur, in a bar called the Cathedral. The narrative revolves around their stories and examines corruption in the Peruvian government. “At what precise moment had Peru fucked itself up?” is the second sentence in the novel—a very good question we can ask about our own country. The War of the End of the World is based on true events in Brazil during the late 1800s. Antonio Conseilhero is a preacher heralding the end of the world during a time of economic crisis and the end of slavery. He gathers followers from among the poor and together they establish their own town. Troops are sent in to quell the cult and violent battles ensue. The Storyteller was influenced by a 1958 trip to the Amazon jungle. Saul Zuratas leaves his life in the city to become a storyteller (hablador) for the Machiguenga natives. The novel explores the question of what to do with indigenous peoples: leave them to their traditional ways, or teach them modern ways through the intervention of missionaries, ethnographers, and other outsiders, who may be seen as bullies and dictators who seek to impose their ways on a secluded tribe? Vargas Llosa will deliver a lecture at and receive an honorary professorship from the University of Santo Tomas tomorrow (Nov. 7), and receive an honorary doctorate from De La Salle University on Nov. 8. His first visit to Manila was in 1978, when, as president of Poets, Essayists, and Novelists International, he met with the group’s Philippine members. This was during the Marcos regime and his description of that period is unequivocal. “It was a dictatorship,” he said. For millennials who are clueless about the truth regarding the Marcos dictatorship, or older people who have amnesia about what really happened during that time, read Vargas Llosa to know the workings of dictatorships and why they ultimately fail, and literature’s role as societal critic, watchdog, and defender of freedom. Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember.

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remember dreaming that the possessed Vega, speaking in another voice and having big, red eyes, was sitting on top of a closet, just like she had in the movie. And yes, she was staring at me. I must have been sick for a week. Many years later, I ventured to watch The Exorcism of Emily Rose at a movie house while I was killing time waiting for a friend to get off work. The movie was supposed to be a trial of a priest prosecuted for the exorcism he had performed on a girl, who eventually died. It would be a riveting legal drama, I thought, with all the scary parts supposed to be secondary. I was wrong—I got spooked silly that I walked out of the theater. Years later, my dread of the witching hour lingered. In Tacloban City, writing about the sixth month mark of Typhoon “Yolanda,” I woke up at exactly 3 in the morning with all the lights in my hotel room turned off—even though I had gone to sleep specifically keeping them on. I had no idea how I was able to make it between then and sunrise. So yes, I had plenty of reason to be averse to horror movies. They have a way of creeping into my life. But something snapped this Halloween season, when remembering the dead, enjoying the break from work and school and contemplating all things scary proved to be main themes. And I thought, since I vowed, at the start of my 40th year, to do things I would never have dreamed of doing before— riding at the back of a motorcycle up the hills, taking a zipline that is supposed to be the steepest in Southeast Asia, trying out restaurant food aside from the stuff I usually order, eating more meat—why not give horror movies another try? And so this week alone, I saw three movies: two were about possession, and one was about a creature that haunted a household at wartime. I would be lying if I said that the movies did not scare me anymore. I noted that the ones on possession were terrible because of their startling effect. Once you actually see the images onscreen, there is just no way to unsee

By Cathrine Gonzales A QUESTION from Bob Ong’s book troubled me for days. The question was straight—and scary. He wrote in Tagalog, “Are you tired of being a Filipino?” What can a millennial say? I am full of hopes for the Philippines. I respect business, media and government leaders. Everytime the national anthem plays, I sing it with full conviction. Yes, I am proud to be a Filipino. But this pride is being challenged. The ugly side is revealing itself to me. Let me share the following: One day on my way to Sta. Mesa, a boy of about seven climbed into the jeepney I was riding. He reached out to each passenger a small envelope to ask for money. His face was gentle. You would be swayed. When no one gave him the alms he wanted, he

immediately jumped off the jeepney and sneered at the passengers: “T*ng-ina niyo. Ang dadamot niyo.” Everyone in the vehicle laughed; I did, too. But why were we even amused in the first place? I am sure all commuters have experienced this. In this country, beggars are commonplace. They come in all ages: there are babies and there are senior citizens. Unbearable! What should have been a productive workforce has been reduced to helpless dependents. There was even a time when I saw an American begging with his greasy clothes. This made me ask, is coming to the Philippines a curse that will make you poor? Maybe it is also for this reason why a large number of talented Filipinos have already gone abroad. Maybe they have lost all hope they could improve their

lot in this country. Just watch the news. You have narcopoliticians, cops, celebrities involved in corruption, murder, theft, etc. That stabbing incident of an 18-year-old architecture student by two thieves in Taguig is also a nightmare. This is what life has been here, with Filipinos killing and stealing from each other. News can indeed make you do a face-palm. One morning when I turned on the television, a “news” item ruined my day. “Actress A, nagpablonde ng buhok.” During a crucial time like this,why is this story even part of the news? Let’s just not blame the media. I’ve noticed that many Filipinos are content with subscribing to the latest telenovelas and their favorite celebrities that they would buy each detail of their careers. It is a sad truth. Many of us do not have the drive to go the distance.

We are happy watching those who do. These are just examples of what an average Filipino sees every day. They may be amusing to hear, but there lies the problem. We see these are normal and do not do something about them. So back to my favorite author’s question: I am tired of what a Filipino’s life has become, but I am certainly not tired of being a Filipino. Sure, we see the ugly side all the time, but it does not mean we must lose all hope. Cathrine Gonzales is a journalism senior at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Manila Standard accepts contributions, on any topic, from readers between 18 and 35 years old for the column Our Voice. Essays should not exceed 800 words. Send to adellechua@ gmail.com.

WHAT IS NATURAL? By Pecier Decierdo AS I was grocery shopping the other day, one trend struck me. I noticed that many of the products, from fruit juices to hair products and even some insect killers, were labeled “natural.” To up the ante, some were proclaimed to be “all natural” or “100% natural.” I thought that was funny. After all, many of them were in plastic or glass bottles, albeit the labeling was green. The brown of recycled paper is also a fairly common packaging color. More than one bag of chips, wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil were also made of “natural ingredients,” so claimed the labels outside. What is natural? That is, what does it mean for a thing to be natural, and what does it take for that thing to be natural? Before I go back to these questions, let us first examine the sentiment behind the “natural” label. The people who put those labels put them there because they thought claiming something is “all natural” or “100% natural” would give those products an edge over their competitors. Since more and more products claim to be natural, that’s probably true. I’m guessing this is because, in many people’s minds, “natural” is synonymous to better, more nutritious, more healthy, or less harmful. “Natural” products are seen as simply superior. Alternatively, products that are not natural are seen as more dangerous, more toxic, more harmful, more unhealthy. After all, if a product is not natural, then doesn’t it

them. But no, I did not develop a fever. These days it is easier to imagine that the effect is such because of makeup and good editing. Just always anticipate that the producers intend to surprise you at every turn. Thoughts about spirits that roam during the witching hour can also be debilitating. Because these are things you cannot see, who knows whether the spirits are there? Then again, it may also be that they aren’t. Our mind is capable of playing great tricks on us. An active imagination can be used to scare the wits out of you. So try, instead, thinking about your looming deadlines or your overdue submissions. Let’s see if they do not give you the same sinking feeling of helplessness and foreboding. Would it not be to your advantage if you took your ripe imagination, sat down in front of your computer, and typed away? As for the movie—just admire the painstaking work and dedication of the film crew to come up with this product. Now this is spookier: Think about the stealthy monsters that whack you on the back of the head when you least expect it, ruining your happiness just when you believe things were going so well. Shall you just cower? Of course not. You pick up your weapon and slay them. There are ghosts that cannot seem to be extinguished, because they keep turning up just when you believe they have gone away. Shall you pull a blanket over your head? Of course not—stare the ghosts in the face and claim you will eventually be ok. My experiment is not done. Several others are lined up for the next few evenings. One coping trick: Sometimes I watch several minutes of a comedy right after each horror film just so it is not the last thing I remember before I go to sleep. I also remind myself, if it gets really unbearable, that I can just close my eyes, cover them with my hand, or shut the darned thing off. Yes, I have that much power. So bring it on—it’s just a movie, after all. Real life, with its blows and heartstopping surprises, is way, way scarier. Imagine the bragging rights if you come out of that, unscathed. adellechua@gmail.com

mean it’s “unnatural”? A thing being “unnatural” already seems like an argument against it. But aren’t many diseases natural? Chicken pox, small pox, measles, malaria, polio, parasitic infections, even most cases of cancer, aren’t these natural? How about rats and mosquitoes and the diseases they spread? Or disasters? Typhoons, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic explosions, asteroids colliding with the Earth, aren’t these natural, too? For millions of years, almost everything that killed our ancestors were “100% natural,” from the venom of snake and spider bites to the poisons that they ingested from mushrooms or fruits. Heck, what could be more “natural” than death? Let us turn that around by looking at a few things that can be considered “not natural.” We inject insulin on a diabetes patient. This insulin is often manufactured in the lab using techniques that involve DNA recombination. We vaccinate children to protect them from diseases, and we do this by injecting them with a harmless version of the cause of the disease. We take in food supplements to complete our nutrient requirements. We modify fruits and vegetables to make them bigger, tastier, and more nutritious. In special circumstances, we are advised to take antibiotics to kill bacteria that have infected us “naturally.” We do so many things that are “unnatural” that are beneficial to us. In fact, if death and disease are natural, then isn’t opposing them unnatural? So something being natural or

unnatural is says little of its effect on our health. Some things we call natural make us healthier and prolong our life. Others do the opposite. The same can be said of things that are unnatural. If we really want to know if something is better for our health, we have to study its effects using science. If the science says it is safe or even beneficial, then it doesn’t matter whether it is natural or not. But I think the contrast between what’s natural and unnatural is more problematic than their benefit and harm. It’s more problematic because what counts as natural in the first place? At the root of the word ‘natural’ is the word ‘nature.’ To be natural means to be of ‘nature’, a word that came from the Latin natura. Natura can be translated to ‘in-born disposition’ or ‘innate quality.’ Today, we still say “comes natural” to you when you seem to be good at it without prior training. We also talk about the “natural inclinations” of people. (“It’s not in his nature to do that.”) Our use of the word ‘nature’ to refer to forested mountains or pristine rivers and lakes is fairly new. The contrast between this “natural world” and the “artificial world” of people, buildings, roads, and other artifacts of civilization did not have any reason to exist for a long time. In fact, many cultures today, especially those of tribal peoples, still don’t make the distinction. The Greeks were among the first to distinguish between natural and artificial. The traits that plants, animals, and other objects have when

humans don’t intervene the Greeks referred to as physis. Natura is the Latin translation of the Greek physis. Both were applied to the tendency of smoke to rise (rising is smoke’s natural tendency) or rocks to fall (falling is part of a rock’s nature). When left alone by humans, the animals and plants of the forest will go about their “natural course.” This is probably the origin of our use of the word ‘nature’ to mean the state of the world untouched by human activities. But aren’t humans curious and inventive “by nature”? Aren’t we, as a species, “naturally inclined” to find things out and apply what we know to create and invent? If so, then shouldn’t the products of human creativity and ingenuity be called “natural” too? But if they are, then what is left to be called unnatural? It is sometimes convenient and easy to make the distinction between the natural world—the great outdoors and the wildlife found in them—and the world of people. Often, however, it is neither convenient nor easy. Furthermore, it’s not always helpful. Sometimes so-called natural products are superior, sometimes they are not. Natural does not always mean better, nor does it always mean worse. The concept of what is natural is a powerful concept, but we shouldn’t lazily apply it or, worse, abuse it to sell products. Pecier Decierdo is the resident astronomer/physicist at The Mind Museum.

IT’S NOT JUSTTRUMP CASTING CLOUD OVER SOUTHEAST ASIA GROWTH By Enda Curran and Y-Sing Liau DONALD Trump’s protectionist policies aside, rising political risk in Southeast Asia is casting a shadow over economies that have been a driver of global growth in recent years. Foreign investors pulled out of Thailand stocks at the fastest pace this year in October. The Philippine peso has sunk close to levels last traded during the global financial crisis. Malaysia’s currency is also in a funk. The common denominator is heightened political risk—from President Rodrigo Duterte’s stinging attacks on the US and his violent crackdown on crime in the Philippines to the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in Thailand that’s removed an anchor of stability in the country. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, meanwhile, is embroiled in a funding scandal that’s being investigated by authorities around the world. “Political risk is certainly on the rise in Southeast Asia,” said Bill Hayton, author of The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia. “The return of geopolitical competition in the region is creating uncertainties that had gradually dissipated following the end of the Cold War.” The worry for investors is that the uncertainty will stall decision making, and scare off tourists and foreign investors at a time when exports—the region’s key growth driver—are already struggling. That’s before even factoring in global risks, like higher US interest rates and a Trump win in elections next week. So far, the hit has been felt on financial markets, rather than the economy. Capital Economics Ltd.’s Krystal Tan and Gareth Leather said in a research note that they are sticking to their 2016 growth forecasts for the Philippines and Thailand this year, but next year is more uncertain and depends how the politics plays out. The International Monetary Fund is forecasting growth of 3.3 percent in Thailand next year, 4.6 percent in Malaysia and 6.7 percent in the Philippines. Sovereign risk—measured by five-year credit-default swaps —have risen for all three countries since September.

Thailand risk

“Investors are not happy with the developments in these three countries as it introduces uncertainty,” said Manu George, a Singaporebased fixed-income director at Schroder Investment Management Ltd., which oversees the equivalent of $424 billion globally. With heightened political uncertainty from the US

to Europe, “we are all resigned to the fact that geopolitical risk has risen globally,” he said. The biggest worry may be Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, where Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has requested a delay in taking the throne. The country has been under military rule since a 2014 coup with elections due to be held late next year. Foreign funds sold a net $514 million of Thai equities in October, more than five times as much as from the Philippines. Economists have warned that a year-long mourning period may curb growth on entertainment and other social spending. Airlines and tour operators are bracing for possibly fewer visitors to a country famed for its beaches, islands and nightspots. Tourism makes up about 10 percent of gross domestic product and has fanned a surging current-account surplus.

Worst performer

In the Philippines, the peso fell to a sevenyear low of 48.618 in October and was Asia’s worst performer in the third quarter, when it fell 3 percent. Global funds have pulled more than $600 million from Philippine stocks since inflows this year peaked in August. While government officials have sought to soothe nerves, there are worries the nation’s more than $20 billion business outsourcing industry, which is dominated by American firms, will be hurt by Duterte’s pivot away from the US and toward China. The use of alleged extrajudicial killings of criminals is hurting confidence, said Celeste Tay, senior sovereign analyst in Singapore at investment manager Loomis, Sayles & Co.

“Such degradation of the rule of law over time could negatively impact foreign direct investment interest in the Philippines and hurt its longer-term economic prospects,” she said.

‘Heightened tension’

Any impact from Duterte’s statements may be felt in the fourth quarter, local newspaper Malaya reported on Friday, citing Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. While foreign direct investment from the US has been weakening, interest from China is picking up, he was quoted as saying. Malaysia’s uncertainty centers around a global probe into allegations of corruption and money laundering involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd., whose advisory board Najib chaired until May. 1MDB and Najib have repeatedly denied those charges and his domestic support has held up. To be sure, no one is forecasting an economic crisis just yet and it’s not like the region is new to these kinds of concerns. With the exception of Duterte’s comments, “everything that is happening in Southeast Asia is not particularly surprising,” said Trinh Nguyen, a senior economist for emerging-market Asia at Natixis SA in Hong Kong. Still, the worry spots are growing against a backdrop of other challenges, such as China’s growing military and political muscle in the region, said Damian Karmelich, managing director of risk firm Political Monitor in Sydney. “The region is challenged by a number of types of emerging political risks, each of which add to the potential for heightened tension,” he said. “The risk outlook is moderate to high.” Bloomberg

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Republic of the Philippines StandardENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

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Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATTION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SN ABOITIZ POWERMAGAT, INC., WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION THE FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATTION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SN ABOITIZ POWER BENGUET, INC., WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY ERC CASE NO. 2016-164 RC

ERC CASE NO. 2016-165 RC

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATTION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP) AND SN ABOITIZ POWERMAGAT, INC. (SNAP-MI),

IN AFRICA, LITTLE ENTHUSIASM FOR US VOTE AFTER OBAMA

Applicants.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

Notice is hereby given that on 24 August 2016, Applicants National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and SN Aboitiz Power-Magat, Inc. (SNAP-MI) jointly filed an Application (with Prayer for the Immediate Issuance of a Provisional Authority) dated 11 August 2016 for approval of the their Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement which was executed on 08 August 2016. Relative thereto, the following were the allegations in the said Application:

Notice is hereby given that on 24 August 2016, Applicants National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet, Inc. (SNAP-BI) jointly filed an Applicalion (with Prayer for the Immediate Issuance of a Provisional Authority) dated 11 August 2016 for approval of the their Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement which was executed on 08 August 2016. Relative thereto, the following were the allegations in the said Application:

NATURE OF THE CASE This Application is for the approval of the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA) between the NGCP and SNAP-BI, pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC, entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of Ancillary Services - Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority. “ PARTIES

Applicant NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANS CO) pursuant to Republic Act No. 91361 (EPIRA). It holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high voltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

Applicant SNAP-MI is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Philippine laws with principal office address at Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant, Brgy. Aguinaldo, Ramon, Isabela. It may be served with orders, notices, and other legal processes through its undersigned counsel. It is the owner and operator of Magat Hydro-Electric Power Plant (Magat HEPP), which was certified and accredited by NGCP as capable of providing Regulating Reserve (RR), Contingency Reserve (CR) Dispatchable Reserve (DR) and Black Start Capability.

Applicant NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to Republic Act No. 91361 (EPIRA). It holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high voltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

Applicant SNAP-BI is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Philippine laws with principal office address at Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant, Brgy. Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet. It may be served with orders, notices, and other legal processes through its undersigned counsel. It is the owner and operator of Ambuklao HydroElectric Power Plant (Ambuklao HEPP) located at Bokod, Benguet which was certified and accredited by NGCP to be capable of providing Regulating Reserve (RR), Contingency Reserve (CR), Dispatchable Reserve (DR) and Black Start Capability.

Republic Act No. 9136 provides that it is the responsibility of NGCP to ensure and maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the nationwide electrical grid in accordance with the performance standards for its operations and maintenance, as set forth in the Philippine Grid Code (PGC), adopted and promulgated by the Honorable Commission, and to adequately serve generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and/or ancillary services through the transmission system3.

Similarly, the PGC provides that NGCP is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and Ancillary Service tariffs to the ERC4.

In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Honorable Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002- 253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC.

Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP invited and negotiated with all prospective generation companies capable of providing ancillary services, one of which is SNAP-BI.

On 8 March 2013, NGCP and the SNAP-BI entered into another ASPA (2013 ASPA) for a period of 3 years. On 27 March 2013, the parties filed an application docketed as ERC Case No. 2013-054RC before the Honorable Commission for the approval of the 2013 ASPA, which was provisionally approved through an Order dated 3 June 2013. The Honorable Commission in page 12 of the Order stated that: “The Commission believes that the contracted ancillary services capacity is needed to augment the deficiency of ancillary reserve capacity and maintain the reliability of the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid”.

10.

Due to the necessity of extending the services of providing the same ancillary services, the Applicants again entered into another ASPA under the same rates, terms and conditions5. In the latest accreditation tests conducted in 2015 on the Ambuklao HEPP, the plant demonstrated capability of providing RR, CR and DR. The copy of the Accreditation Certificate is attached as Annex “A”.

11.

Similar to the existing ASPA, NGCP agreed to procure and SNAP-BI agreed to continuously provide, under the new ASPA, the following AS for a period of a period five (5) years:

ANTECEDENT FACTS 4.

Ancillary services (AS) as defined in Section 4b of the EPlRA “refer to those services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the Grid Code to, be adopted in accordance with this Act.” These services are essential in ensuring reliability in the operation of the transmission system and consequently, in the reliability of the electricity supply in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao grids. In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Honorable Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002- 253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC.

Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP invited and negotiated with all prospective generation companies capable of providing ancillary services, one of which is SNAP-MI.

It may be recalled that TRANSCO and SNAP-MI entered into an ASPA in October 2008. On 4 February 2009, TRANSCO and SNAP-MI filed an application docketed as ERC Case No. 2009-007RC, which was approved in the Decision dated 12 October 2009. The Honorable Commission on page 21 of the Decision stated that: “Based on the foregoing, it was determined that the contracted Ancillary Service capacity is needed to augment the deficiency of ancillary reserve capacity and maintain the reliability in the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the grid.”

10.

11.

12.

ANTECEDENT FACTS

Obama has found resonance even in his own family, with half-brother Malik enthusiastically campaigning for Trump on Twitter, and even accepting an invitation to attend the final televised presidential debate in Las Vegas last month. Malik’s position is not, however the norm, and many Africans readily denounce Trump’s views. “Hillary Clinton, she is someone with a vision but this guy -- how do you call him? -- he is arrogant and a racist, he can be angry and even start more wars,” said Benjamin Namkobe, a 31-year-old motorcycle taxi driver in Nairobi. Neither candidate has made much mention of Africa in their major speeches since being named their party’s candidate, but this is no surprise, said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. “Africa largely does not figure into the electoral dynamics of the United States,” said Pham, adding that “foreign policy in general” takes a back seat. He pointed out that US policy towards Africa “tends to enjoy bipartisan support”, meaning it does not represent a point of differentiation in debates. AFP

Also, on 8 March 2013, NGCP and the SNAP-MI entered into another ASPA (2013 ASPA) for a period of three years. On 27 March 2013, the parties filed an application docketed as ERC Case No. 2013-053RC before the Honorable Commission for the approval of the 2013 ASPA, which was provisionally approved through an Order dated 3 June 2013. The Honorable Commission in page 12 of the Order stated that: “The Commission believes that the contracted ancillary services capacity is needed to augment the deficiency of ancillary reserve capacity and maintain the reliability of the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid.” Due to the necessity of extending the services of providing the same ancillary services, the Applicants again entered into a new ASPA under the same rates, terms and conditions5. In the latest accreditation tests held in 2015 on the Magat HEPP, the plant demonstrated capability of providing RR, CR, DR and Black Start Services. The copy of the Accreditation Certificate is attached as Annex “A.”

Capacity

Similar to the existing ASPA, NGCP agreed to procure and SNAP-MI agreed to continuously provide, under the new ASPA, the following AS for a period of a period five (5) years:

Capacity

Non-firm

Firm

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable reserve Black Start Capability

CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATES AND IMPACT SIMULATION

A copy of the ASPA is attached as Annex “B.”

12.

Also, the Applicants used the following rates for the capacity fees as provided in the previous ASPA: Firm:

Also, the Applicants used the following rates for the capacity fees as provided in the previous ASPA:

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve

Applicable Rates (Maximum Hourly Rate) Php 2.50/kW/Hr Php 1.50/kW/Hr

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve

Non-Firm:

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable Reserve Black Start Capability

Applicable Rates (Maximum Hourly Rate) Php 3.00/kW/Hr Php 2.25/kW/Hr Php 1.25/kW/Hr Php 2.14/kW/Hr

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable Reserve Black Start Capability 14.

SNAP-MI respectfully submits that the proposed rates represent a reasonable recovery of the opportunity cost in making available generation capacity to provide the procured AS.

15.

The rates under ASPA were subjected to a simulation with the following results:

Ancillary Services Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable Reserve

Indicative Rate Impact P/kW-month P/kWh 6.1501 0.0331 3.9701 0.0214 2.3189 0.0125

A copy of the said rate impact simulation is attached as Annex “C”. 15.

Consistent with the AS-CRM, all the related and incidental expenses which NGCP will incur as a result of the procurement and operation of the ancillary services shall be recovered from all the load customers in the Luzon Grid. ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

16.

It is a declared policy of the State to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power (Section 2b, EPlRA). With this end in view, there is a need to comply with the system requirements for AS to ensure grid system reliability. As mentioned above, NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS. However, the Honorable Commission must first approve the contract before the same could be implemented.

17.

18.

As mentioned above, the Honorable Commission has already declared that there is a necessity for NGCP to procure the contracted ancillary services capacity of SNAP MI to maintain the reliability of the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid.

As mentioned above, the Honorable Commission has already declared that there is a necessity for NGCP to procure the contracted ancillary services capacity of SNAP BI to maintain the reliability of the operation of the transmission system and electricity supply in the Luzon Grid.

18.

19.

SNAP-MI must continue to provide the current contracted ancillary services beyond the 2013 ASPA to maintain the reliability of the power grid. Based, on the current levels of available contracted AS in the Luzon Grid, the firm contracted AS have not yet met the required levels of the ASPP. The copies of the relevant actual data and its corresponding graphical presentations showing the required and available levels of AS in the Luzon Grid are attached as Annex “D.”

SNAP-BI must continue to provide the current contracted ancillary services beyond the 2013 ASPA to maintain the reliability of the power grid. Based on the current levels of available contracted AS in the Luzon Grid, the firm contracted AS have not yet met the required levels of the ASPP. The copies of the relevant actual data and its corresponding graphical presentations showing the required and available levels of AS in the Luzon Grid are attached as Annex “D. “

19.

20.

NGCP must be guaranteed that there are available AS on a daily basis to assure reliability of the grid. There is no assurance that the non-firm capacities would be available when needed. NGCP cannot gamble on this chance. As the grid operator, the contracted capacity of SNAP, especially its firm capacities, are greatly needed.

21.

Thus, NGCP and SNAP MI agreed to execute another ASPA for a period of another five years. With this ASPA, the Luzon Grid is assured of AS until 2021.

20.

Thus, NGCP and SNAP BI agreed to execute another ASPA for a period of another five years. With this ASPA, the Luzon Grid is assured of AS until 2021.

21.

Also, as the demand for power in the Luzon increases, the requirements of the system to ensure stability, reliability and security likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public. The absence of system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth.

22.

Applicants respectfully submit that the immediate approval of the ASPA by this Honorable Commission is a necessity to maintain the present reliability and security of the Grid. In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Lizaflor Bacani-Kater, which is attached as Annex “E.”

22.

23.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, Applicants respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission to: a) b)

Immediately ISSUE a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA; APPROVE, after notice and hearing, the subject ASPA.

Applicants pray for other just and equitable relief under the premises. The Commission has set the said Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, Expository Presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 17 November 2016 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 a.m.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 17th Floor, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City. All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired. All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the Application and or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the Applicants conclude the presentation of their evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon. All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application (with Prayer for the Immediate Issuance of a Provisional Authority) may request the Applicants, prior to the date of the initial hearing, that they be furnished a copy thereof. The Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making said request with copies of their Application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during standard office hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA,, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 17th day of October 2016 in Pasig City.

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for other Purposes”; An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes; Section 9 (c) and (d); Section 6.3.1.2; The proposed schedules are: 95MW RR firm capacity for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week; and its 60MW CR firm capacity during peak hours. (MS-OCT. 30/NOV. 6, 2016)

ISSUE a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA; After notice and hearing, APPROVE the subject ASPA.

Applicants pray for other just and equitable relief under the premises. The Commission has set the said Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, Expository Presentation, Pre-trial Conference, and presentation of evidence on 17 November 2016 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 a.m.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City. All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired. All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the Application and or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the Applicants conclude the presentation of their evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon. All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application (with Prayer for the Immediate Issuance of a Provisional Authority) may request the Applicants, prior to the date of the initial hearing, that they be furnished a copy thereof. The Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making said request with copies of their Application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during standard office hours. WITNESS, the Honorable Chairman JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR and the Honorable Commissioners ALFREDO J. NON, GLORIA VICTORIA C. YAP-TARUC, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 17th day of October 2016 in Pasig City.

ATTY. NATHAN J. MARASIGAN Chief of Staff Office of the Chairman and CEO 1

The rates under ASPA were subjected to a simulation with the following results:

a) b)

14.

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable Reserve

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, Applicants respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission to:

SNAP-BI respectfully submits that the proposed rates represent a reasonable recovery of the opportunity cost in making available generation capacity to provide the procured AS.

Indicative Rate Impact P/kW-month P/kWh 24.9009 0.1340 12.2620 0.0660 2.7928 0.0150

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

13.

Ancillary Services

A copy of the said rate impact simulation is attached as Annex “C.”

Applicable Rates (Maximum Hourly Rate) Php 3.00/kW/Hr Php 2.25/kW/Hr Php 1.25/kW/Hr Php 2.14/kW/Hr

Ancillary Service

Non-Firm:

Ancillary Service

Applicable Rates (Maximum Hourly Rate) Php 2.50/kW/Hr Php 1.50/kW/Hr

Ancillary Service

Firm:

Ancillary Service

Regulating Reserve Contingency Reserve Dispatchable reserve Black Start Capability

Contingency Reserve

A copy of the ASPA is attached as Annex “B.”

16.

Contingency Reserve

Non-firm

CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATES AND IMPACT SIMULATION 13.

Type of Ancillary Services Regulating Reserve

Firm

HK DAD RUNS FROM OBESITY INTO RECORD BOOKS the next day signed up for a 250 kilometre (155 mile) six-day ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert. “I’d never run five kilometres before, never mind a marathon. It sounded ludicrous, but I needed something that would scare me enough to make sure I didn’t get lazy or give up,” he adds. A vet by day, he had a year to train, and started cycling before building up to running. “Running was too tough when I was that out of shape. It certainly wasn’t any kind of magic transformation, and I wasn’t naturally fit. But little by little I did get better,” he says. To his astonishment he not only completed the ultramarathon, he enjoyed it and cast about for a fresh challenge, taking on triathlons, marathons and Iron Man competitions around the world. Last year, he took on the World Marathon Challenge, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. While he lost part of his toes to frostbite running in Antarctica and suffered a fractured ankle racing in Africa, but went on to beat the 11 other competitors to win the overall title. AFP

NATURE OF THE CASE This Application is for the approval of the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASP A) between the NGCP and SNAP-MI, pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC, entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of Ancillary Services - Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority. “ THE PARTIES

WEIGHING in at 120 kilogrammes (265 pounds), a smoker and drinker revelling in Hong Kong’s hedonistic expat scene, David Gething was heading for a heart attack by his 40th birthday. He could so easily have ended up a health statistic, another casualty of the city’s excesses, he says. Instead he funnelled his energy into sport -- and ran right into the record books. Aged 41, Gething with two children has two world marathon records under his belt and has just released a book about his racing adventures, Relentless. But it was a different story less than a decade ago. “Being an expat opens a lot of doors, and you can get away with a party lifestyle you’d never imagine even existed back home,” he tells AFP. “But nothing comes without a price, and that lifestyle can certainly get you into trouble.” Gething, now a lithe 67 kilos, pinpoints the moment his life changed, crediting his wife with sitting him down ahead of their first child’s birth and delivering some brutal, but necessary home truths. He stopped smoking and

Applicants.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

AIROBI—“The dream becomes reality”, “Our son, our hope”: the headlines in the Kenyan press in 2008 captured pride and excitement after the election of Barack Obama. Eight years later, enthusiasm for the outgoing president has faded on a continent that he is accused of forsaking. The election of the first black president of the United States on November 4, 2008 sparked scenes of jubilation in Kenya, the homeland of Obama’s father. A public holiday was declared in honour of his victory. There were widespread hopes that Obama would do much for Africa, but as he prepares to hand over to either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, he is accused of neglecting the continent. “Africa had unrealistic expectations towards Obama given his origins,” said AlyKhan Satchu, a Kenyan economic analyst. “Especially during his first term, Obama was less involved in Africa” than his predecessor George W. Bush. “People judged him very harshly during his first mandate because he didn’t do much for Africa,” said Liesl Louw Vaudran, an analyst at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies think tank. Obama was slow to engage in Africa, a continent far from the heart of US interests, preferring to make the Asia-Pacific region the centrepiece of his foreign and economic policy. African frustration with

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATTION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP) AND SN ABOITIZ POWERBENGUET INC. (SNAP-BI),

3 4 5

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for other Purposes”; An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes; Section 9 (c) and (d); Section 6.3.1.2; The proposed schedules are: 22MW RR firm capacity for 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week for the months of July to November; and 22MW RR firm capacity during peak hours for the month of December; 30MW CR firm capacity during peak hours of January to June (Mondays to Saturdays except holidays); and 60MW firm capacity during off-peak hours for the months of July to November; and 30MW CR firm capacity for December during off-peak; The actual testing of the Ambuklao HEPP for Black Start Capability is scheduled in September 2016. (MS-OCT. 30/NOV. 6, 2016)

World

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2016 mstdaydesk @gmail.com.ph

END OF ISIS TO TAKE MUCH LONGER: WASHINGTON WASHINGTON—After Iraqi security forces eventually recapture Mosul, the Islamic State group will be left with only Raqa in neighboring Syria as a bastion, and the jihadists’ self-proclaimed “caliphate” will be largely gone. The US-led coalition has been striking IS across both countries for more than two years, and has long held Raqa in its sights -- an IS defeat there would be a defining endpoint of the campaign. But Pentagon chief Ashton Carter surprised commanders last week when he declared the actual assault on Raqa could start “in the next few weeks,” after British Defense Minister Michael Fallon made a similar prediction. Privately, many high-ranking Pentagon officials were caught offguard, and expressed skepticism the Raqa push could start so soon, given the Gordian knot of unpredictability in the chaos of Syria. Carter’s timeline is “a little more ahead of what I have been hearing so far,” Wone US defense official told AFP on condition of anonymity, choosing his words carefully. Another US defense official said the military’s expectations for Raqa—a city with a pre-war population of about 220,000—didn’t match Carter’s timeline. AFP

ROAD TO NOWHERE. Paul Green, President and Founder of Halcyon Gallery, stands in front of Bob Dylan’s painting “Endless Highway” during a preview of his artwork in London. Bob Dylan, music legend and Nobel laureate, is also a prolific painter whose works depicting the landscapes and culture of America are the focus of a major London exhibition. AFP

MAY TOLD TO ACT ON BREXIT RULING

ONDON -- Prime Minister Theresa May was urged Saturday to try to quell the furore sparked by a High Court ruling that she needs parliamentary approval before triggering Britain’s exit from the EU. Former ministers called on her to address the angry backlash after three senior judges upheld a challenge to her right to start the departure process without MPs having their say first. May spent Friday trying to assure European leaders that Thursday’s verdict would not affect her timetable for triggering Article 50, the formal procedure for leaving the European Union. But on the domestic front, members of her governing centre-right Conservative Party and pro-Brexit newspapers were raging about the ruling, fearing it

could derail the process. Bob Neill, the chairman of parliament’s scrutiny committee on justice affairs, said the attacks were “threatening the independence of our judiciary,” as he urged May to intervene. “Some of the things which have been said about the court’s judgement by politicians have been utterly disgraceful,” the Conservative told The Times newspaper. May and her government “must now make clear that the independence of the judiciary is fundamental to our democracy.

You have to respect that even if you think they have got a decision wrong”, he said. On Friday, May telephoned European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. She told them the government still intended to invoke Article 50 between the New Year and the end of March, and that she was confident of winning a Supreme Court appeal against Thursday’s ruling. The High Court decision raises the prospect of a protracted parliamentary debate, although EU leaders have urged a swift departure. In a sign of the likely parliamentary storms ahead, pro-Brexit Conservative lawmaker Stephen Phillips resigned as an MP on Fri-

ANGRY MOB WANTS SOKOR PREXY TO STEP DOWN SEOUL—Thousands of South Koreans took to the streets Saturday to demand embattled President Park Geun-Hye resign over a crippling corruption scandal. Protesters chanted slogans and carried banners urging Park to step down, the day after she issued a grovelling televised apology over the influence-peddling affair which has shattered public trust in her leadership. Some 40,000 demonstrators were expected to turn out at the rally in central Seoul, watched over by 20,000 police officers. Police had banned protesters from marching through the streets, citing traffic congestion, but thousands were permitted to gather. But authorities were braced for demonstrators trying to make their way towards the presidential Blue House.

In a highly personal televised address to the nation Friday, Park said the scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi SoonSil was “all my fault,” but denied reports linking her and Choi to a religious cult. Park’s approval rating crashed to just five percent this week, the lowest-ever rating for a sitting South Korean president. “I thinks she should step down as she has lost all her moral authority as president,” a 53-yearold, who gave only his family name Ahn, told AFP. A formal investigation is focused on allegations that Choi, 60, leveraged her close relationship with Park to coerce local firms into donating large sums to dubious non-profit foundations that she then used for personal gain. Choi was formally arrested on Thursday on charges of fraud

and abuse of power, but public anger has largely focused on allegations that she meddled in affairs of state and had access to confidential documents, despite having no official position or security clearance. The South Korean media has portrayed Choi, whose late father was a shadowy religious leader and an important mentor to Park, as a Rasputin-like figure who wielded an unhealthy influence over the president. “What is really irritating is the fact that Choi was acting like a regent for Park, controlling her decision-making,” said a 20-yearold political science student Kim Do-Hyun at the rally. In an effort to restore trust in her administration, Park has reshuffled ministers and senior advisers, bringing in figures from outside her ruling conservative Saenuri Party. AFP

IN BRIEF TURKISH COURT ARRESTS 9 JOURNOS

day, citing “irreconcilable policy differences with the current government”. He said “quitter” was a label he could live with, but “Conservative no longer is”. The resignation leaves May’s government with a slim working majority of 14 in the 650-member House of Commons. The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Saturday that ministers were openly discussing the possibility. It quoted an unnamed government member as saying: “The problem we have got is we have a Brexit majority in the country and a Remain majority in parliament. The pound -- which has tumbled to multi-year lows since the referendum -- soared against the dollar and euro, standing at $1.25 during afternoon trading in London on Friday. AFP

SCANDAL. Choi Soon-Sil, the woman at the heart of a lurid political scandal engulfing South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye is escorted following her formal arrest, from the Central District Court in Seoul. Embattled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye’s newly nominated prime minister warned she could face a probe, hours after prosecutors detained a former presidential aide. AFP

AN ISTANBUL court on Saturday remanded in custody ahead of trial nine staff from the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper, in a case that had caused international concern, the Dogan news agency said. The nine placed under arrest after their detention earlier this week include prominent names like the editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, cartoonist Musa Kart and columnist Kadri Gursel. They are charged with links to Kurdish militants and the group blamed for the July 15 coup bid. AFP

WIDODO CANCELS AUSTRALIA TRIP AFTER PROTESTS INDONESIAN President Joko Widodo has postponed a trip to Australia due to start Sunday after violence broke out at a mass rally against a Christian governor accused of insulting Islam, the government said. Around 50,000 people marched in Jakarta on Friday to protest comments made by governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, with clashes erupting between police and demonstrators -- one of whom reportedly died of an asthma attack. “Current development has required the President to stay in Indonesia,” a statement released on Saturday by the foreign ministry said. Widodo visited Australia in 2014 for the G20 shortly after being elected as president, but this month’s trip would have marked his first official bilateral visit. AFP

KIDNAPPED ITALIANS, CANADIANS RELEASED IN LIBYA TWO Italians and a Canadian who were kidnapped in the south of conflict-torn Libya in September have been released and flown to Italy, the Italian government announced Saturday. The Italians, Danilo Calonego and Bruno Cacace, and Canadian Frank Poccia were freed during the night “due to the effective cooperation with local Libyan authorities,” it said in a statement. AFP